Enchanted
by nrlmuffins
Summary: In the sequel to "My Werewolf's" Keeper, Sarah is focusing all her energy on keeping her heartbroken brother sane. So is it hard to believe that she fights the advances of another love-struck werewolf? Please read the first story if you haven't already.
1. Jacob the Grouch

I'm sitting at my kitchen table with my headphones on, trying to use music as a way to ease me through a particularly difficult math problem. Without warning, my headphones are knocked off my head and I'm faced with silence and polynomials to factor. I look up, determined to see what caused my lack of music in the face of math.

"You little piece of poop!" a familiar face stares into mine, covered with a mixture of annoyance and excitement.

"Excuse me?" I've been called a lot of things by my cousin, but this is a first.

"How come you didn't tell me?" Quil demands. I'm not entirely sure what he's referring too, but one thing in particular comes to mind. But I have no intention of telling Quil about that for fear of being mauled by an angry Alpha wolf.

Jacob strolls in behind Quil. "Quil joined up," he explains quickly. His arms are crossed and he seems in a serious mood, not that that's anything new.

I turn back to Quil and away from my brother's grouchiness. "Welcome brother Quil!" I stand and open my arms wide, and Quil playfully swats them away with his newly burning hands.

"Nice try, kid. I cannot believe that you knew," he points to me, "before I knew!" he gestures back to himself. Quil has a habit of talking with his hands when he's excited.

"Yeah, Jake's not the best at following rules," I tease.

"You figured it out by yourself," Jacob grumbles.

"Either way, I couldn't tell you or Sam would go ballistic!" I insist. "Plus, I did tell you that it wasn't a cult and that Jake was fine," I add defensively.

"Which only scared me more. I thought Sam got to you too!" Quil's joking aura disappears for a moment. He really had been afraid for us.

"Sorry, Quil," I go in for a hug. His arms are just as warm as the others'.

"It's cool. I'm just so thrilled to know what's going on!" Quil lets me go, practically jumping up and down in excitement. I can tell he doesn't care if he's part of a pack of werewolves or a pod of whales. He's just thrilled to have his friends back, and finally know the secret of the neighborhood cult.

In stark contrast with Quil's overwhelming happiness, Jacob is sulking in the corner. He's never been thrilled to be a werewolf, but lately he's been treating it as a death sentence rather than a mildly annoying form of selective service. Aside from the first few days, where he couldn't tell me what was going on, he's usually been pretty optimistic about the whole thing. Especially when he found a way to tell Bella.

I knew he was missing Bella, but he'd acknowledged that it was too dangerous for her to be around him anymore. But, eventually he decided it was more important to keep the promise he'd made to her before he'd phased than to worry about her safety. After all, this girl already knew about vampires, what difference did another mythical creature make?

The pack was a lot less accepting towards Bella than they had been towards me. In their minds, Jake's sister who kept him sane and was yelling at him for being in a cult was one thing. His would-be girlfriend who had dated a bloodsucker? Totally different ballgame.

But, they'd all warmed up to Bella once she offered information on what the redhead terrorizing the forests of Forks wanted- her. After that, we both got to enjoy the benefits of being the kid sister and almost-but-not-really girlfriend of the pack. It was short-lived, but Jacob was at his happiest.

That all changed when the Cullens came back. Jake still hasn't gotten over the fact that she chose Edward. Heck, she went off to Italy to save him. Why a vampire needed human help was beyond me, but afterwards all the Cullens returned to Forks.

The pack wasn't happy about this, because they'd had to bring back their patrol lines in accordance with the treaty, lessening their protection of the people of Forks, though still containing La Push. Luckily, the redhead is nowhere to be found, or I know they'd really be complaining.

Either way, Sam sent Jacob on a routine assignment to give the Cullens a message. That ended really badly when it turned out that they really needed that warning. The Cullens are planning on eventually making Bella one of them, which is in direct violation of the treaty they made with our ancestors. But I'm sure that's not what Jake was thinking when he completely lost his cool. I'm sure it was something more along the lines of the painful truth that she'd chosen Edward over him.

And so, Oscar the Grouch has been in a serious mood ever since. With all the pent up anger and rejection, I'm surprised he hasn't accidentally wolfed up more than the once.

"So when did you phase?" I ask Quil.

"Friday," he answers. It's Wednesday.

"And it took you this long to come yell at me?" I laugh.

"Well, it took me a while to figure out how to phase back. I was a wolf for almost two full days!" I can't tell if he's excited or upset about that.

"Really? It didn't take Jake that long."

"Well, Jake's Ephraim's great-grandson, isn't he?" he replies with a hint of bitterness.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I ask.

To my surprise, Jacob answers, "Ephraim was the last Alpha wolf, so I inherited the most "wolf genes" I guess you could call them. Out of the pack, I've got the closest blood line to Taha Aki. You know, the first wolf?"

"Yeah, I know. Wait," something suddenly clicks. "The position of Chief is a lineage thing. So that would make the Alpha position a lineage thing. Wouldn't that make you the Alpha?"

"Sam's Alpha," he answers with more authority and finality than I've ever heard Sam use.

"Okay," I reply, not wanting to make him angry.

"C'mon Jake, let's go," Quil breaks the tension by being excited again. "It's time for my first patrol!" He fist pumps the air in his excitement.

Jacob actually cracks a smile watching his best friend act like an idiot. "Alright, let's go before you phase from excessive excitement, if that's even possible."

"Bye, Sarah!" Quil calls over his shoulder, already out the door. Before following, Jake catches my eye, and I suddenly think I know why he doesn't want to be Alpha. It's the same reason he doesn't want to be a werewolf. It's because of Bella.


	2. Syrup and Soulmates

A little over a week later, I'm making pancakes. I'm in a really great mood right now, mostly due to the fact that it's Friday, and I don't have school. That's always pleasant.

Jacob's been running all night, so I'm making him pancakes, bacon, eggs, and toast to surprise him. He always eats a lot after an all-night patrol- even for him. In addition to wanting to earn brownie points with any werewolf I can, Jake is growing steadily more depressed. I have no doubt that the only thing keeping him from throwing himself under a bus is his crazy strength and incredible ability to heal quickly. The bus would get off worse.

I hear the door open and look up smiling, hoping to guard myself from my brother's bad mood. Good thing too, because Jake walks in looking more annoyed than he was when he left last night. I pity whoever he was running with, because he certainly got an earful of Jake's internal monologue.

Jacob's mood is unwelcome, but not entirely unexpected. What is unexpected is the sight of another individual entering alongside Jake.

"Seth? What are you doing here?" I ask. Seth missed school yesterday, but he wasn't feeling well Wednesday, so I wasn't surprised. He was moody and definitely had a temperature. I was planning on calling him later today.

In seemingly perfect health, Seth stares at me. He stands confidently and relieved, as though everything in his life has finally come together and now makes sense. His face is relaxed and has the air of someone who finally understands his true purpose in life. Also, his eyes, which are typically playful, are serious as they express an unimaginable sense of joy. He looks absolutely enchanted.

"Seth joined the pack," Jacob answers simply as he grabs three glasses and the carton of orange juice. I can't help being more than a little surprised. Seth is now the youngest wolf, and it didn't even occur to me that he could join the pack.

"That's great," I smile. At least now I don't have to keep secrets from my best friend. "How do you feel?"

"Excellent," Seth replies in an almost dreamy fashion, still not taking his eyes off of me. As Jake hands him a glass of juice, he looks carefully at Seth. Then he chuckles darkly and knowingly. Both Seth and I look at Jake.

"What?" I demand. But Jake isn't looking at me. Seth is giving him a pleading glance, and Jacob nods in response. He then sits down with his enormous breakfast and starts to eat. His expression is a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

I roll my eyes and mumble, "Werewolves," under my breath. With their inhuman hearing they both hear me, and I catch them exchange grins as I turn to make a plate for Seth. He sits down as I hand him enough food to fill me for an entire day.

"Thanks," he replies with a smile wider than I've ever seen on him. He must really enjoy being a wolf.

"You're not mad I knew before you did?" I ask, starting on my meager toast slice.

Seth shakes his head and swallows a huge mouthful of food. "Nah, I understand. I'm glad Jake found a way around the edict. You would have been really upset all this time." He stuffs his face again.

I smile. "Tell that to Quil, he was furious!" But I'm unable to say this with a straight face, and burst out laughing. Seth does too, keeping his eyes on mine. The force of the joy in his eyes has gone down, but the intensity is still there, though much softer.

"So when did you phase?" I ask, pausing for Seth to inhale another pancake.

"Wednesday night," he replies.

"Guess that explains why you were so hot that day," I observe.

"Aren't I hot every day?" Seth asks playfully. I roll my eyes, and he laughs again.

"So that makes," I pause to do the mental math. "Seven wolves now?"

Seth hesitates and glances at Jake. Then he answers, "Eight, actually." Then he proceeds to stuff a quarter pound of bacon in his mouth.

I check my math, but I still get seven. "How?" I ask, but Seth is still working on that bacon, looking a little uncomfortable. "There's Sam, Jake, Jared," I list in their ranks in the pack, "Paul, Embry, Quil, you-"

Seth cuts me off, finally finished chewing his bacon. "Leah," he mumbles.

I stare at him in disbelief. He eats a piece of toast in one bite.

"As in, your sister, Leah?" I ask.

He nods.

"She's a girl," I say simply.

"I'm aware of that," Seth says with a trace of a smile on his lips.

"How can she be a werewolf if she's a girl?" I demand. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently," he shrugs.

I look at Jake, who nods and shrugs as well.

I turn back to Seth. "When did this happen?"

"Last night," he answers. "At least I was first," he grins proudly.

"Where is she?" I'm still having a lot of trouble processing this.

"Still in the forest with Sam, at last check."

I get the sense that there's more to this story, so I ask, "Care to give me the whole story?"

Seth sets his fork down and nods. "So, I phased Wednesday night, okay? Leah wasn't around, so my mom just told me to head to the forest and called Sam. Then he gave me the whole litany, and I basically hung out in the woods all of yesterday, trying to phase back. It wasn't working," he frowns, then continues. "Anyway, last night Leah phased. My mom was really freaked out. I mean, two wolf kids in two nights? It's a little much for anyone, even someone who knew about all this. So it was lucky for her that Sam was already in wolf form at the time.

"Leah pretty much lost it," Seth grimaces as he recalls his sister's mental breakdown. "She thought she was going insane, and was freaking out with all of our voices in her head. Sam was trying to talk to her, calm her down you know? And explain all of this to her? Well, she wasn't having any of that. She'd pieced together that this is what he'd been up to towards the end of their relationship, and she was furious." He flinched slightly. "She started yelling at Sam for everything he'd ever said or done since the day they'd met. He kept trying to calm her down, which was even harder since he was so freaked out himself. He didn't think girls could be wolves."

"I'm pretty sure she's the first," I point out.

He nods. "Probably. Well, anyway, Sam eventually got so mad at her that he Alpha commanded her to shut up and meet him in the woods. I'm sure my mom was thrilled, because at this point Leah had demolished the living room." He looks partly amused, party irritated at his sister's reaction. "So Sam explained everything to her, even more than he'd told me."

"What else did he have to say?" I wonder aloud.

"He told her about Emily, and how guilty he was, and all that. It was awkward," he makes a disgusted face. "When he was finally done, he let her talk again, which I think was a bad idea. She just had more material to throw at him now. Twice, he had to Alpha command her not to actually start fighting him, which just made her more mad. Then Sam started yelling and-" he stops and shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure that's why I phased back. I was sick of their bickering."

I nod sympathetically. Leah can be really nice, but she's also got quite the temper. Once you get her going, it's hard to make her stop.

"I think the only reason Sam let her do it is so she gets it out of her system, you know?" I nod in agreement, even though we both know she'll still be yelling at him tomorrow. And the next day. And next week. Leah's pretty good at holding grudges.

"So you decided to come here with Jacob?" I guess.

"Yeah. He told me how you usually make him breakfast after he does night patrols, and I was starving." He grins sheepishly. "That, and I saw Leah destroy the majority of the food in the house last night."

I playfully smack him on the arm. "Just kidding, you're welcome here any time."

"Thanks. I'm really glad I came," he replies, the dreamlike tone back on his lips. After hearing about his awful night, I start to doubt his joy has anything to do with being a werewolf. Heck, I'm surprised he's in a good mood at all!

After looking at me for another minute, Seth glances at the clock. "I guess I should go home and help my mom repair the damage," he says in a dutiful, yet pained voice. He really does not want to clean Leah's mess.

"Go be good. Score some points with your mom while you can," I advise. Seth nods and catches my eye again. His are still full of joy, but are now tainted with longing.

With Seth gone, Jake rolls his eyes and mumbles, "Really, Seth? Really?" There is a definite bitterness in his features.

"What was that about?" I ask him. He studies me for a moment, as though deciding the best way to answer my question.

"You don't get it?" he asks cautiously.

"Get what?"

Frowning slightly, he replies, "Seth imprinted on you."

My jaw drops. "What?" I demand, not out of lack of understanding, but of disbelief.

Jacob explained the concept of imprinting to me one night after I'd first met Emily. She was so nice, but I had a hard time reciprocating because of the Leah issue. My heart felt for Leah as I watched Sam look at Emily. He obviously loved her with his entire heart and soul. It was as if his entire world revolved around her and nothing else mattered.

In any other case, I would have found it sweet, but I kept seeing Leah's heartbroken face. I was at Seth's the day after the breakup. Leah was beyond comfort. Remembering her so upset, while watching Sam with her cousin didn't seem right.

"So, what did you think of Emily?" Jacob had asked me. This was back before he was clinically depressed, before Bella even knew his secret, let alone dumped the pack for a coven.

"She's nice," I said honestly. But Jacob saw right through me.

"What's wrong with her?"

I paused. "I just kept thinking of Leah," I admitted.

Jacob frowned. "Do you know why Sam dumped her for Emily?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Do you know what imprinting is?" he asked.

I shook my head again.

"It's a another weird wolf thing."

"Weirder than reading everyone's thoughts and striping in front of each other?" I seriously doubted anything could be weirder.

"Actually yes. Imprinting is fairly rare, but it's a way for us to find our soul mates." He looked into the distance, smiling contently.

"How does it work?" I asked curiously.

"It's similar to love at first sight, but it's more than that. It's like- you look at her, and nothing else matters anymore. Gravity doesn't hold you to Earth any more. She does. You'd do anything and be anything for her," he finished, his face relaxed and content.

"Sounds pretty fruity," I joked.

Jake shrugged. "I guess."

"You haven't imprinted have you?" I thought of Bella.

The smile left to make room for a frown. "No," he mumbled.

"But you seem to know a lot about it," I commented.

"That's because I can hear Sam's thoughts, remember?" he reminded me.

"Right. So he broke up with Leah because he imprinted on Leah?" I surmised.

"Yes. He still loves Leah, but it doesn't matter. He belongs with Emily," he answered.

"Does he feel bad about it?" I wondered aloud.

Jake nodded. "He really hates himself sometimes, but it doesn't matter. He'll stay with Emily."

I had let that sink in for a while. I still felt terrible for Leah, but I no longer disliked Emily or disproved of Sam's choices.

"Does Leah know?" I whispered, already knowing the answer.

"No, she can't." Pity crossed Jake's face.

I'd so felt bad for Leah all night, that I needed a subject change. "Has anyone else imprinted?"

"Just Jared," he answered.

"On who?"

"A girl who sits next to him in school. Luckily that didn't cause any problems. Actually, Kim had a huge crush on him anyway, so it worked out perfectly." His frown lifted into a smile for his friend's good fortune.

All this runs through my head as I stare blankly at my grouchy brother. Unlike his joy for Jared's sake that night, he seems almost angry now. Is it because I'm his sister? Either way, I don't know what to think. Seth is my best friend, and suddenly he's my soul mate, too?

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Positive. I know that look he had. It's one I've seen more times than I've cared to." His bitter, almost jealous tone is gaining steam.

"Why didn't he say anything?" I demand.

Jake shrugs. "Probably because he didn't want to make anything awkward for you."

"Well what happens now?" I ask, trying to ignore Jake's mood.

"Whatever you want," he answers simply. "If you want to stay friends, all that will change is that your friendship will be stronger. He'll be more caring and understanding than you can imagine. Or, you can start dating. Either way you'll probably end up with him in the end. He's your perfect match. He'll be everything you'll ever want in a guy, and so much more." I determine it is definitely jealousy staining my brother's face. This makes me angry.

"You know?" I snap, "From anyone else, that would have been really sweet and romantic. But that was just terrible!" I feel guilty yelling at Jake. He's had an especially bad week. Saturday, lost the chance to stop that redhead vampire because of the Cullens, and the other day he'd gone to Bella's school, and he's still angry with her for choosing Edward. Seeing them together was the worst possible thing for him.

But guilt doesn't stop me from continuing, "I know you're upset about Bella, but can't you just get over it already? She chose him. Move on!"

Almost instantly, I'm looking at Jacob's chest, and I have to look up to meet his eyes at their nearly seven foot height. In his anger, he stood up faster than my normal human eyes could see. But they have no trouble registering Jacob's shaking figure.

I've definitely struck below the belt on that last one. His eyes are narrowed, and he barely tries to contain his anger as he threatens to go werewolf on me. But I just cross my arms and keep my eyes locked on his.

"You're not going to hurt me," I state firmly.

"Oh yeah?" Jake growls through his teeth. "Why not?"

"Because I'm your sister and you love me. And even though that's hanging by a thread, hurting me would destroy Seth. You wouldn't do that to a brother."

Be it my solid logic or calm stance, Jake stops shaking. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"Get some sleep, Jake," I sigh. He kisses me on the forehead and makes his way to his room. Once he's gone, I feel tears fall from my rush of emotions. I'm mad at Bella for hurting Jacob so much. I'm mad at the Cullens for causing all this werewolf madness. My best friend is apparently my soul mate. Leah is a werewolf. I'm so confused and mentally exhausted.

Can my life get any crazier?


	3. Imprinting

A week later, however, life is looking up. Bella has come to La Push twice despite the Cullens' attempts to keep her in Forks, which thrilled Jacob to almost inconceivable levels. He also had an excuse to go creeping by her house at night- an unknown vampire scent was discovered in Bella's room. Because the intruder was most likely linked to the redhead and/or the killings in Seattle (according to the Cullens, all these unsolved homicides are likely the work of a sloppy, newbie vampire), the pack is taking turns with the Cullens to watch over Bella and Charlie at night. I personally think that Jacob is a little too willing to do this. I really worry about him sometimes.

Seth came back to school that Tuesday. He had almost no problem controlling his temper, considering phasing hadn't messed with his super sunny personality. He did slip the once, though, when some stupid junior rammed into me. Yeah, I was annoyed, but I didn't flip out like Seth.

"Watch where you're going!" he'd yelled. The unfortunately familiar sight of an angry, shaking werewolf met my eyes, so I acted fast. I yanked Seth's arm as hard as I could, and still he barely registered my effort. But he did turn towards me.

"Calm. Down," I'd hissed through my teeth. I didn't need a werewolf in the middle of the hallway. How would I explain that one?

Fortunately, the shaking slowed and Seth became increasingly calm as he held my gaze. Finally, he let out a deep breath and I knew he was back in control.

"Sorry," he mumbled, ashamed.

"You don't have to flip out over something like that, Seth," I reminded him sternly. "If you're going to attack anyone, at least make it Mr. Brown!" I joked. Mr. Brown is the teacher that the entire freshman class not-so-secretly hates.

"I guess I'm just a little sensitive about you," he admitted, unembarrassed.

Since he imprinted on me, we've talked about it exactly zero times. He knows I know, but he hasn't said anything about it exactly. We've both accepted it, and we've referenced it in conversation, but nothing else has happened. I wonder how long we'll be able to dance around it.

I will hand it to Seth, he hasn't made this awkward at all. Actually, Jake was right. It just feels like our friendship got stronger. But Jacob's words keep echoing in my head, "_Either way you'll probably end up with him in the end. He's your perfect match. He'll be everything you'll ever want in a guy, and so much more._" Fortunately, his snarky tone is fading with each time I remember this. And I've thought about it more than once. A day.

Tonight the pack is having a bonfire to celebrate the end of the school year. Despite the fact the only werewolf that has actually worked at school lately is Seth (and that's only because he phased the second to last week of the school year), I know they're all thrilled to not have to worry about mauling their math teachers when they get a lecture for failing a test because they were on patrol all night, or waking up at six after patrolling until three. They could all use the extra sleep and lower stress levels.

Even though Forks High still has another week, Bella is coming to the bonfire as well, with both the knowledge and consent of her boyfriend for once. Because I hadn't seen Edward since I found out he was a vampire, I insisted on coming with Jake to the boundary line to pick up Bella.

Aside from the overly passionate goodbye he'd given Bella, I thought Edward seemed nice enough. A little protective, a tad possessive, maybe. But I recalled someone who cares very deeply about me freaking out when a stupid upperclassman was careless. I'm sure Edward's intentions were as good as Seth's. Maybe because I was defending him while my brother was likely calling Edward names that I didn't know the meaning of, the mind reader smiled at me briefly as Bella walked towards Jacob. He looked like any other seventeen-year-old boy when he did that. Okay, he was much more attractive than any seventeen-year-old boy I knew, but he didn't exactly fit my description of vampire. I will admit that some vampire shone in his eyes as Jacob gave Bella a very intense hug. Then again, maybe that was just boyfriend. There seems to be a very thin line between the two.

With Edward gone, the three of us drop Bella's motorcycle off at our house, then make our way to the bonfire. Picking up Bella causes us to be the last to arrive, but that's fine. As I hop out of the back seat, I look up to see Seth's face light up in the way it always does when he sees me now. It never fails to make me feel self-conscious, but also safe and loved. Feeling the blood rush into my face, I smile back. Bella notices.

"What's going on with you and Seth?" she whispers. I laugh internally, because she thinks that Jacob can't hear her. But he can, and he shoots me a warning glance I'm grateful for.

Jake told me on the way to pick up Bella that Sam wanted to keep the pack's numbers a secret from the Cullens, for safety's sake. As far as they knew, there were six werewolves. The number of wolfs hadn't exactly crossed my mind when examining Edward Cullen, but if I hadn't been told not to, I probably would have told Bella full story involving Seth.

Instead I just say, "It's complicated."

She nods sympathetically. "Story of my life," she groans. I feel a strong bond with Bella, realizing she is also the unwilling recipient of a werewolf's affections. I imagine what it must be like for her- her best friend being in love with her, even though she has a boyfriend. Then throw in the fact that said boyfriend is a vampire, and said friend is a werewolf and they hate each other. And I thought my life was complicated. I'm suddenly grateful for Seth's laid-back approach to all of this. I don't know what I'd do if he was acting like Jacob.

I end up sitting between Bella and Seth around the fire. "I'm going to have to act fast if I want any food tonight, aren't I?" I grumble to Seth.

"Yeah, probably," he nods apologetically. He isn't wrong. I scramble to grab two hot dogs, a handful of chips and a can of Diet Coke before the wolves attack any scrap of food. I notice that Leah doesn't have quite the appetite that the boys do. She still eats nearly three times what I do, but that barely makes a dent compared to the guys.

A dozen or more packs of hot dogs and family sized bags of chips later, the pack's appetite is finally sated. The sun is now completely set, and an unseasonably cold night sets in. Despite the blazing fire and the body heat of the werewolves, I'm soon shivering.

Seth, God love him, notices immediately. "Are you cold?" he asks, concerned.

"Yeah," I answer truthfully. "But I'm fine." Before I've even finished my sentence, Seth's scorching arm is around me. Within seconds I've stopped shivering.

"Thanks," I say gratefully. His face is now closer to mine, and his enchanted eyes look into mine. I'm abruptly conscious of the almost nonexistent distance between our lips. What alarms me is that part of me is seriously considering leaning slightly to close the gap. Once again, Jacob's words run through my head.

It's not that I don't like Seth. More than that, I love him, and might even go as far as calling him my other half. But I mean that more in the way a girl feels about her twin brother. Even so, I've thought more than once over the past year that I want to marry someone like Seth. Someone kind and caring. Someone who knows and accepts everything about me. Someone who can always make me laugh. I just didn't expect that person to be Seth himself.

My dad's voice breaks my train of thought as he begins telling the legends. Thankfully this gives me an excuse to turn away from Seth. This is my first time hearing them since I'd accepted them as fact, not fiction, and I intend to pay better attention this time around. Briefly before I focus, I notice Leah watching Seth watching me. Her expression is one I've made a million times while trying to figure out math. I assume she's trying to figure out imprinting through the man she knows the best- her brother. I have no doubt she's been watching us all night- the way his eyes never leave my face, how he knows what I'm asking before I even ask. And I'm sure she noticed how, reluctant as I am to make something out of Seth's imprinting, I almost kissed him.

I force all this to the back of my mind as I drink in the voices of my father and Old Quil. I notice things I didn't before, and make connections I wasn't able to the last time I'd heard these, less than a year ago. The story that really intrigues me is that of the third wife. She was obviously the one Taha Aki imprinted on, even if the story doesn't come right out and say it. He loved her enough to give up immortality and, when she died, human company. Those are extreme things to part with, which makes me wonder about imprinting.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely notice that Old Quil has stopped talking. In fact, it's not until Sue Clearwater comments on the lateness of the hour (to which Seth replies, "Are you kidding me, Mom? It's not even eleven!") that I remember there are other people around me. Sam and Quil, still arguing about what their fur color represents, get up first to resume their patrolling. Within the next half hour, people drift off in twos and threes, starting with the adults, Leah, and Emily. Bella is sleeping on Jacob's shoulder, and it's with great effort that he grudgingly reaches into her pocket for her cell phone to call Edward. He's perfectly polite on the phone, but his true feelings shine as he gently picks Bella up to drive her to the boundary line. His pained expression and longing eyes are almost too hard for me to look at.

Now it's only Seth, Paul, Jared, Kim, and I. "I guess I should head home, too." I say. It's a decent walk to get back home, and I start to wish I'd asked Jake for a ride.

"I'll walk you back," Seth volunteers. The two of us say goodnight to the others, and set off into the night.

It's completely dark on this path, and I can't even see Seth's face, though he's only inches away. Panicking slightly, I take his hand. Not wanting to send him more mixed signals, I explain, "I haven't been afraid of the dark since I was seven, but lately…" I trail off, wondering how to explain my fears. "It's just nice to know you're here." How's that for a mixed signal?

"You don't have anything to be worried about," Seth promises. "Quil and Sam are patrolling right now, and I'm right here." He squeezes my hand.

"You know, the first time I heard the legends I slept with all my covers under my head for an entire year, convinced that would protect me from the cold ones." I laugh nervously. "And that's when I didn't believe in them- I just didn't want to take any chances. Now that I know they're real, and I've seen some…" Again, I trail off. "I don't sleep well when Jake does night patrols," I hear myself say. I don't know what I'm doing. I've never told anyone about sleeping under the covers to protect myself from vampires, and I wasn't planning on telling that I don't sleep when Jacob's not home at night.

"You're afraid of the redhead?" Seth asks carefully.

"A little," I admit. "I don't like the idea of Jake being out there with her, but at the same time, I know that he has a way better chance than I do." Again, I say more than I intend to.

There is slightly more light on this street, so I can see his frown. "If it makes you feel better, I can crash on your couch when Jacob's not home."

"I'm just being stupid. She's after Forks, not La Push. And even if she was, she wouldn't get through you guys," I assure Seth. But I am comforted by his offer. "Thanks, though." I give him a half-smile.

"True that. That bloodsucker can't handle werewolf power!" Seth agrees, giving me a full smile. And with those joking words, he's lightened the mood. He's always been good at making me feel better, and after imprinting, he's nothing short of a pro.

Which brings me to another question. If I'm already telling him everything, I might as well ask, "Seth?"

"Yup?"

"What does it feel like to imprint?"

In the increased light I see he is definitely taken aback by my question. Like I said before, we've never discussed this.

"I mean, I understand the concept. Jacob explained it to me, and I've seen it in action." I neglect to add that I've felt its effects. "But I still don't fully understand it." I look at him expectantly.

He stares off into the distance, his mouth twisted and right eye half closed in his typical "deep thought" stance. I've probably told him a million times since kindergarten that he looks like an idiot when he does that. I stand by that observation, but I don't interrupt him.

"Well," he finally says, "I don't think I can explain it any better than Jake to be honest. Even though he hasn't imprinted himself, he understands it as well as I do." Again, he assumes his stance. "It's hard to put into words, really," he says, frustrated.

"It's just so simple and so complex at the same time," I sigh.

"Yeah, exactly!" Seth nods. After another moment or two of deep thinking, he continues, "Let me think about that one, okay? I bet I can give you a better explanation, I just have to think about it." He rolls his eyes. "Great, another thing to keep me up at night," he mumbles sarcastically.

"Sorry about that. Look on the bright side- you get to break out your thinking face," I laugh.

Seth joins in. "Oh yes!" He winks at me. We finally stop in front of my house. "After you," he waves me in.

"You coming in?" I ask, surprised, as he follows behind me.

"Why, you want me to leave?" he asks teasingly.

"No, you're more than welcome to come in!" I remind him. He hasn't knocked since second grade. "But it is late."

"I was just going to hang around until Jake got back," he promises.

"You don't have to do that," I say, secretly thrilled.

"Yeah, and let you get attacked by a leech? Not on my watch!" he growls and flexes, making me laugh.

"Speaking of Jacob-" I start.

Seth cuts me off, "I thought we were talking about my newly jacked body." He strikes another pose. I will admit he does look pretty hot. I just won't admit that to him.

"Yeah, yeah, you look great," I say dismissively. At least I try to. A little more admiration than I'd wanted to show sneaks out, and Seth, still flexing, definitely notices.

"But about Jake," I continue. "I've been meaning to ask someone about this, because he won't talk about it."

"Okay, shoot," Seth finally stops flexing as we sit on the couch.

"Jacob is supposed to be Alpha." I don't even say this as a question, already knowing it's true.

Slightly uncomfortable, Seth nods.

"Why isn't he? Does he just not want to? Or is Sam not letting him?" Seth is shaking his head before I finish my final question.

"Oh, he offered," Seth insists. "But Jake refused. So Sam made him second in command instead. So he's not Alpha, he's-" Seth runs what little he knows of the Greek alphabet through his head. "Beta? Yeah, Beta."

"Why doesn't he want to be Alpha?" I wonder aloud.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I can guess-" But before Seth can tell me his theory, Jacob himself opens the door.

"Hey," he greets us. "Still here, Seth?" he asks, amused.

"I was just leaving," Seth stands up. I appreciate him not telling Jake what a scaredy-cat I am. I just wonder if the whole pack will know by tomorrow or not.

"Thanks for everything, Seth," I whisper into his burning arms as I give him a hug.

"No problem," he replies.

As he walks out, he glances quickly at Jacob, who isn't even noticing us, but is sitting on the couch, head in his hands. With a significant look at me, Seth discreetly tells me that we have the same theory about this unwilling Alpha.


	4. Enchanted

I drag my feet through the rocky sand and inhale the salty sweet scent of the ocean. Every so often another icy wave crashes over my feet, and soon they're starting to feel numb, but that doesn't stop me from walking. It's in the low forties at most, and the ocean is barely above freezing, but I just ignore that as I wander down the beach.

I've spent almost every day of every summer just like this- on the beach. But today, there are a few differences. Aside from the unusually cold weather (even for the Olympic Peninsula), I'm usually here later in the day, and Seth is usually with me. But that was in another lifetime, back when Jacob's hair was long, the Cullens were just an attractive bunch of foster kids, and there wasn't an army of vampires headed towards us.

We found that fun little fact out when we crashed Bella's grad party. By we, I mean Jacob, Quil, and Embry. I was still a welcome guest, because I wasn't the one who'd kissed Bella against her will and then broke her hand with my face. Jacob has such a way with women.

At least some good came from this disturbing news- it sparked an alliance with the pack and the Cullens. They spent a few nights learning ways to fight these newborn vampires, who apparently fight differently than mature vampires, and are much stronger. In addition, Sam had the guys (and Leah) running extra patrols in between strategy sessions with the Cullens. That's why I've barely seen Jake, Seth, or any of the pack all week- they're either wolfed up or sleeping it off.

Seth. I've missed him more every day. I miss his carefree attitude and joking smile, and his ability to pull conversation out of thin air. What startles me is that I'm starting to miss other things as well- his warm arms around my comparatively cool shoulders, the way his eyes change color in the light, how safe and comfortable I feel around him…

Jacob's words are ringing truer by the day. I will admit that my feelings for Seth definitely fall under the "more than friends" heading, but I still can't tell how deep they run. I'll admit I have a crush on him, but compared to his feelings for me? That almost doesn't seem fair. We haven't talked about imprinting since that night after the bonfire. To be honest, we haven't had the time! We barely spend any time together, and I know he has even less time to contemplate the answer to my question.

An icy blast of wind hits my face. I swear the temperature's dropping by the minute, and my bare feet are protesting against the frigid surf. I wonder how cold Jacob and Bella were last night. Okay, I wonder how cold Bella was. She, Edward, and Jake spent the night somewhere in the mountains a few miles away from the clearing where the army's scheduled to arrive in a few hours.

A series of nightmares haunted me all night in his absence, so I finally gave up on sleep and started walking the beach. I'm shaking, not from the cold, but from the idea of my brother surrounded by mindless creatures of the night. Soon, Jake will make his way down to the clearing where he'll meet up with the rest of the pack, with the exception of Seth, Collin, and Brady. Seth will be taking Jacob's position on the mountain in order to act as a "cell phone" for Edward and Bella to keep them informed on what's going down on the battlefield. I'm thrilled that Seth's part leaves him out of the way of any potential danger. Now I only have to worry about the others.

At least Collin and Brady will be staying in La Push. I still haven't gotten over them being werewolves. Both boys just finished the seventh grade, and, werewolves or not, I'm still taller than them. Seth, however is thrilled that he's not the newbie anymore. Suddenly, two thirteen-year-olds in the pack make his mere fifteen years seem like a lot more.

"Sarah!" I hear a familiar voice call. I turn around to see Seth himself jogging down the beach towards me. Before I can stop myself, I'm sprinting towards him, and don't stop until I'm in his warm arms.

Okay, maybe it's a little more than a crush. I pull away and smile. "What's up?"

"I stopped by your house to see you before I left. I figured you'd still be asleep, but I wanted to see you anyway," his face glows as he looks into mine. "I caught your dad before he went fishing with Charlie, and he said you were out here."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. I kept dreaming about vampires for some reason," I add in mock-confusion.

"Well, they'll all be taken care of in a few hours," he reminds me confidently. I notice a trace of jealousy in his eyes.

"Don't tell me you want to fight them, too? I'm glad Sam is making you stay out of trouble!" I try and fail to hide the terror in my voice.

"Really, you don't have to worry," Seth promises. He takes my hand for a second, squeezes it, then drops it. A flash of inspiration crosses his face. "What time is it?"

I check my watch. "Almost seven," I reply.

"Okay, I have just enough time. I need to be on the mountain by eight," he explains as he takes my hand again and starts walking down the beach. I have to almost jog to keep up.

"Where are we going?" I demand.

"My house. I want to show you something." But he doesn't elaborate. We continue up the beach in silence, and still don't speak as we make our way up the road to the Clearwater's.

Inside, we find Sue reading the newspaper, her hands shaking as she does so. "Morning, Sue," I say.

She jumps about a foot, looking around wildly for the source of the sound. She relaxes as her eyes find me. "Oh, hello, Sarah. Good morning." The bags under her eyes tell me she's slept about as much as I have.

"Is Leah up yet?" Seth asks. Sue shakes her head, so Seth heads down the hall to his sister's room.

"What are you kids up to?" Sue asks conversationally. I can tell her mind is elsewhere, though.

"I'm not sure. Seth said he wanted to show me something," I explain.

"Leah? Wake up!" I hear Seth's voice from Leah's room. "It's just after seven. Yes, it's today, stupid. No, not yet, but soon. Mom made eggs. Well there was bacon. I was hungry! Never mind, that's not why I came in here! No, Leah, I wanted to ask you something. Stop, listen. Leah! Can I just- c'mon all I want is to borrow your ipod. It's a long story. I thought you wanted me to leave? C'mon Leah, I'm not getting any younger! Very funny, you're so clever. Can I just borrow your ipod? Thank you, Sassypants." Rolling his eyes, he reenters the kitchen holding Leah's ipod.

"That was a challenge," I observe.

"She's a real grouch in the mornings. Even more than she is the rest of the day, if you can imagine it," he groans. "Anyway, I wanted to play something for you." He turns and I follow him into his room. He closes the door then hooks the ipod up to his speakers and starts scrolling through the songs as I sit on the edge of his bed.

"Why do you need Leah's ipod?" I ask.

"I want you to hear this song, and I don't have it on my ipod. Here it is." But instead of playing it, he pauses the ipod and looks up at me. "So remember how I promised to figure out a different way to explain imprinting to you?"

"Yeah," I say, surprised. I hadn't expected this.

"Well, last night Leah had her ipod on really loud- it's kind of annoying really. You'd think she'd start turning it down now that her ears are more sensitive, but no," he grumbles. "And don't even get me started on the bathroom! I don't see why she insists on looking good before she runs patrols, she's just going to phase anyway-"

"Seth? You're rambling," I inform him.

"Oh, sorry. So, yeah, Leah was blaring her music as usual, and just as I was about to complain again, I took a second to listen to the lyrics. Then I made Leah replay the song so I could hear it again, and I realized that it actually explains imprinting pretty well."

"What song?" I ask curiously.

"Don't laugh, okay? It's a Taylor Swift song," blood rushes into his face.

"I like Taylor," I say defensively. "But how would she know anything about imprinting?"

"She's secretly a werewolf," Seth replies sarcastically as he starts the song.

I recognize the opening notes as he sits down next to me. "Enchanted?" I guess.

"Yeah. Now, shush. You need to listen to the lyrics," he orders. I do as I'm told. I've heard this song a million times, but I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the lyrics, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect.

Taylor starts, "There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles. Same old tired, lonely place. Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes, and vacancy vanished when I saw your face. All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you." I recall Seth's wonderstruck look when he first saw me that day. It's the same expression I see on his face right now.

"I felt like I'd never seen you properly until that day, and I couldn't believe I've looked at your face so many times without truly seeing how beautiful you are," Seth whispers, unashamed. I feel my face become as hot as his.

Taylor continues, "The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy."

"We kind of did that, didn't we?" Seth comments. I nod, remembering.

Again he's quiet to make way for Taylor. "This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew I was enchanted to meet you."

"I did blush the whole way home," Seth admits, blushing again.

"The lingering question kept me up. Two A.M.- who do you love? I wonder 'til I'm wide awake."

"I couldn't sleep that night. I kept thinking of you," Seth breathes, entranced.

"What about me?" I ask self-consciously.

"Everything. Your warm brown eyes, your long hair, the way your eyes sparkle when you smile or laugh, how kind and caring you are, how compassionate you are," he trails off, not because he's finished, but because he wants me to hear the rest of the song.

"This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends. My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again. These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon. I was enchanted to meet you."

As I sit frozen, looking at the speakers I feel Seth's breath on my ear. He whispers, "Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you."

Taylor repeats the lyric, and I turn slowly to face Seth, afraid I'll destroy the moment if I move too fast. Our faces are even closer than they were at the bonfire, and I look directly into his wonderstruck eyes.

It's in that moment I realize what an idiot I've been these past few weeks. No, what an idiot I've been these past few years. I don't want someone like Seth, I want Seth. I want someone who knows me like Seth does, and loves me like Seth does. I'm fully aware that I could just burst out laughing right now, and he would join right in, not one bit hurt. He'd be content to just be friends forever. He might be, but I'm not.

I do something that my wonderful, brave werewolf is afraid to do. I kiss the person I care more about than anyone else on the planet. My eyes close as he takes my face into his strong, fiery hands. I slip my arms around his neck and kiss him more passionately as our song continues in a loop.

I completely lose track of everything as we keep kissing, and we were nowhere near finished when there was a knock at the door. I hesitate for a fraction of a second before following Seth's lead back into the kiss.

There is another knock, followed by the opening of the door. "Whoa, okay!" We pull apart and I take in Leah's startled expression in the doorway.

"Did you need something, Leah, because we're kind of busy," Seth says shortly, his eyes and hands never leaving my face.

"Me, no, but I thought you had to be in position in like ten minutes." She mumbles something to herself, but judging by Seth's eye roll, he heard her, too.

Seth's hands slide down to take hold of mine. "I have to go," he says, his eye full of longing.

"Promise me you'll be safe?" my panic from the beach is intensified.

He kisses me lightly. "The only danger I'm in is death by excessive boredom," he promises, but he does a poor job of hiding his discontent.

"Good," I reply, kissing him softly. I can't find it in myself to pull away, and Seth isn't putting up much of a fight either.

Leah clears her throat, causing us to jerk apart. She rolls her eyes. "Jake needs to be in the clearing, and he can't leave the mountain until you get there," she reminds her brother sternly.

Seth stands up without letting go of my hands, so I stand with him. He pulls me in for one last warm hug and kisses my forehead. "Don't worry about me or the others. We'll be fine. Just stay on the reservation, okay? Collin and Brady will be here just in case."

"No offense to my favorite little brothers, but I personally think I have a better chance against the bloodsuckers," I laugh.

"They're actually not half bad," Seth says defensively. Too soon, he lets go of me, and with a final goodbye peck, he's gone.


	5. Bloody and Broken

The sun makes its way through the sky, heating the air as it goes. By the time I reach home, it's actually a pleasant temperature. I go inside and promptly dive face-first into the couch cushions, allowing my worried tears to make their appearance. I haven't eaten anything all day, but I'm too nauseous to even think about food. This makes me realize how terrified I really am, because usually I eat more when I'm nervous.

I just lay there, unmoving, trying to visualize the battle that's either about to begin or already in process. I think of every member of the pack, Bella, and even all the Cullens as I worry for all of these people I care about. Yes, even the vampires. I would stay in this position much longer, but Dad and Charlie show up.

"Hey, Sarah. We're back," Dad greets me in monotone. He doesn't bother to ask why I was showing all the signs of a panic attack, because his face mirrors mine.

"Hi," I mumble, only barely looking up from the cushion. Charlie, poor guy, looks hopelessly confused as he takes in our concerned expressions. I can tell he knows he's missing something.

Trying to salvage our poorly carried out charade, I sit up and put on a smile. "I thought you guys were out fishing," I try to act curious.

"Your dad really wanted to watch some game," Charlie says, still lost.

"Yup, and here it is!" Dad wheels over and flips the channels until he finds a random sports game. "Now I just have to make a quick phone call and I'll be right over." Charlie definitely notices the carefully controlled, yet barely contained panic in his voice.

Dad ends up calling Old Quil, Sue, and Emily, asking them causal questions that I know had a double meaning behind them. Meanwhile, Charlie and I watch the game. To be honest, I'm paying so little attention I can't even tell what sport it is, let alone the teams playing.

Charlie, who's usually not much of a talker, is obviously feeling increasingly uncomfortable, and tries to calm himself by asking me casual questions about my life. What grade are you in now? Having a good summer so far? Are you sixteen yet? Are you planning on going to college? Anything exciting happen lately?

I answer all his questions politely but without much conscious thought. My senses are on overdrive, trying to determine if anything good, bad, or indifferent is going on as we speak.

The only time my full attention is on Charlie is when he asks, "Pretty girl like you, I don't suppose you have a boyfriend?"

I don't even hesitate in answering, "Yeah, actually I do," with a wide smile.

Charlie seems comforted that I'm responding to one of his questions, and decides to run with it. "Really? Do I know him?"

"Yeah, Seth Clearwater," I feel myself blush slightly, but boy does it feel good to say that!

Dad even notices. "Hold on," he says to the person on the phone. "Really?" he says to me. He knows that Seth imprinted on me, but I think part of him hoped I wouldn't return the affection.

Dad turns back to the phone, "Sue, did you know your son is dating my daughter? You did? They did? When? Really? Well, I know now," he grumbles into the receiver.

"So this is a recent thing, huh?" Charlie correctly guesses.

"Well, it's a long story, but it's sort of been coming on for a while now. But, we just made it official today," I explain.

"That's nice. Seth's a good kid," Charlie nods approvingly. "But just between you and me, I recommend you don't spend all of your time with him. Make sure you spend time with other friends, too," he adds warningly.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." I know he's thinking of Bella's mental breakdown after Edward left her. I can't say I blame him for his concern.

"Like I said to Bella, the important thing is to balance-" but I don't hear the rest of his sentence over the howling of a wolf in pain.

"Man, that wolf sounds like it's really hurt!" Charlie observes. "Do you have traps set nearby or something, Billy?"

I stand up and run out the door. Abruptly the howling changes to painful shrieks and angry cursing. A moment later, I see my brother, writhing in pain, being carried by Sam and Paul, with Quil, Jared, and Embry trailing behind.

"Dad!" my voice has completely crossed the border into hysteria. Dad wheels himself over and takes in the scene.

"Bring him in here," he orders unnecessarily, moving out of the way.

Charlie's jaw drops as the boys set Jake on the couch. "What happened?" he asks.

"Motorcycle accident," Sam replies immediately.

"I knew those things were motorized death machines…" And Charlie launches into a rant about his hatred of motorcycles. I'm so confused. Why was Jake on a motorcycle? I thought he was supposed to be battling the leeches!

"What do you mean motorcycle accident?" I hiss at Sam. He gives me a glare that I've come to view as a nonverbal, human interpretation of an Alpha command. I get the message.

I nod obediently. "Got it, Chief," I promise. Thankfully no one, not even the werewolves, heard our exchange. Jacob made sure of that with his steady stream of curses so bad I've never even heard them before. So he was hurt in the battle- how? And how bad is he hurt if he's screaming like this?  
>Interrupting Charlie's motorcycle rant, Jake turns his sweating face towards him and says, "Bet you're glad she loves Cullen instead of me today, huh, Charlie?" A bitter grin crosses his pained face, and I know there must be more to the story. Predictably, the pack frowns with Jake. Now I have another question ringing through my head along with Jacob's moans.<p>

"We should really take him to the hospital, Billy," Charlie says innocently. He doesn't know that we can't do that because of Jake's ridiculous body temperature.

Sparing my dad from answering, a voice calls, "No need, the nurse is in!" Seth enters the room accompanied by his mother, who promptly starts examining Jake, and Leah, looking incredibly guilty about something.

Seth stands next to me and slips a hand around my waist. "What happened?" I whisper low enough for only him to hear.

"They thought they got all of them, but one was hiding and Leah went after him alone," he breathes in my ear. "Jake had to help her, and he got his arms around Jake before he could stop the leech," he finishes, flinching from the memory, as fresh as though it was his own. "Sam and Paul got there in time, and Carlisle checked him out quickly. He'll be back as soon as he talks with some vampire leaders or something."

Vampires have leaders? But I barely register that piece of information, because I have a terrible image of a red-furred werewolf being crushed by a vampire that looks awfully like the kid from English who hates me for reasons unknown.

"Oh, Jake," I moan quietly.

Somehow, over his cursing, he hears me. "I'll be fine, Sarah," he promises. But it seems to be a challenge for him to move the entire right side of his body, which is contorted in an uncomfortable position.

I see Leah's mouth move, but my ears don't pick up the sound. Jacob shrugs, which brings on a new round of pain and cursing. Leah covers her face with her hands.

"You said Carlisle was coming?" Sue asks Leah. She nods mutely. "Good," Sue replies. "Because he definitely needs a doctor."

"Carlisle Cullen?" Dad and Charlie yell at the same time, though in different tones. Dad's is one of furry, Charlie's is of surprise.

"Yes," Sam answers.

"So you worked things out I see," Charlie nods approvingly.

"He's willing to make a house call," Sam replies simply. I take that as code for "He knows how Jake was hurt and knows how to treat a werewolf."

"Well tell the damn blood-" Jake stops himself mid-curse, concealing his hesitation with a gasp of pain for Charlie's benefit. "Tell the bloody doctor to hurry!"

"Bloody? So you're British now?" I say, smiling in spite of the circumstances.

Jake replies with a grimace and, "Yes, Sarah, I think I'm in enough damn pain to be whatever nationality I want!"  
>The doorbell rings, and I run to get it. It's Carlisle and Edward Cullen.<p>

"On the couch," I say as soon as the door's open, not even bothering to say hello. This is the first time I've seen Carlisle up close, and personally, I think he looks too young to be a doctor. He has to be in his early twenties at most, but I know he has to be much older than that.

Carlisle thanks me, and then walks towards Jacob's moans quickly and with purpose. Edward spares a moment to answer my unspoken questions, "Physically, he's twenty-three. Technically, he's three hundred and sixty-two." Then with a nod, joins his adoptive father. I stand there dumbstruck for a moment. Coming to my senses, I go back to stand next to Seth and watch the work of a doctor who remembers when medical practices included bleeding and amputations. Hopefully he learned some new skills over the past few hundred years.

Jake flinches slightly at the icy touch of the vampire doctor, but tries to keep quiet as he's examined.

"Well, Jacob, you certainly did an excellent job of absorbing the crash with your right side," Carlisle says, in keeping with the charade. Honestly, it would be easier if Charlie would just leave so we could get a serious diagnosis.

"Yeah, well, my left side looks better in pictures," Jake snaps back.

"I'll have to determine which bones are broken and to what degree before I can set the bones," the doctor says more to himself than the group.

"Give him the morphine first," Edward says. The concern on his face equals or maybe even surpasses that of the others in the room. Natural enemies or not, he doesn't want Jake to suffer. I feel a surge of gratitude towards Edward.

"He'll be very drowsy," Carlisle cautions. But the way he looks at his son that implies he's worried about something else. And something tells me he's telling Edward nonverbally.

"Better drowsy than in pain," Edward replies. I'm assuming that's also code for the answer to Carlisle's question.

Jacob groans in pain and exasperation. "I'm with Edward. Just drug me, Doc."

Carlisle looks to my dad. "I need parental consent," he says. Edward, however, is looking towards Sam with his eyebrows raised in a question. Sam nods slightly.

Out of the corner out his eye, Dad sees the exchange, and replies, "Okay," for Charlie's sake. I just wish Charlie would go home!

Dr. Cullen pulls a shot out of his fancy little doctor's bag, and sticks it in Jacob's good arm. He also slips a thermometer in Jake's mouth.

"Charlie?" Carlisle says as he checks the reading. I don't need to see it to know it's well over one hundred, and neither does the doctor, so I'm not sure what he's doing. "Could you run to the nearest store and pick up a bag of ice? Jacob's temperature is dangerously high," he finishes gravely.

"Sure, I'll hurry," Charlie nods as he makes his way to the door. With him gone, it's as though a weight is lifted from the room, and we know we can all speak freely again.

"Doc, you know my temperature is high," Jake grumbles, already slightly drowsy.

"Yes, Jacob, but I need to give you a more open analysis of your condition. I suppose it will take Charlie at least fifteen minutes to return with the ice?" Carlisle answers.

"Oh," Jacob mumbles stupidly. "Well I'm drugged!" he adds defensively.

"It's alright, Jacob. Now," Carlisle's doctor persona never waivers, he just shifts into his supernatural doctor mode. "I was hesitant to give you morphine, because I'm not exactly sure what the correct dosage would be for someone with this high of a body temperature. I gave you maybe twice the dose I'd give a normal male of your size, hoping your body will burn off enough for it to be a normal dosage." But Jake's eyes were drooping, and he was obviously pretty out of it.

"I can't feel a thing, is that good?" Jake's words are slurred together, but at least he's stopped swearing.

The doctor frowns. "It's going to have to be trial and error," he admits apologetically.

"Fine. What about his injuries?" Sam demands.

"His bones have already begun to heal themselves, which in this case is not a good thing," he frowns. "They have not been set properly, so they are healing incorrectly." We all notice Jacob's contorted right side.

"What's broken?" my dad asks.

"His arm, leg, and maybe a few ribs." He pauses, then looks not at Jacob, not at my dad, but at Sam when he says, "I'll need to re-break the bones, then set them properly."

Sam's normally calm face slips into utter revulsion, then anger, then back to calm. "And if you don't?" he asks through his teeth. In reply, Carlisle just looks towards Jacob's twisted arm and leg.

Sue jumps into the conversation, "Sam, it needs to be done. We could take him to the hospital, but then there'd be a lot of awkward questions."

"Could you do it?" Sam asks her.

"No. I could try, but it would be better to let Carlisle do it. He knows what he's doing." Carlisle doesn't react to this vote of confidence, but Sam looks appalled again.

"Do I get a vote?" Jake asks, raising his good hand. His eyes are barely open, and his words are only discernable if you pay very close attention. "Because I don't want to be a crippled wolf. That would suck."

Sam pauses for a moment, thinking it over. Finally, and with an enormous amount of effort, he answers, "Alright."

Carlisle nods and turns to Jacob, frowning.

"No," Edward says out of nowhere. "High body temperature or not, he can only handle so much, Carlisle."

"So much of what?" Sam demands.

"I was debating whether or not I should give Jacob more pain medication. I don't want him to feel the break a second time," the doctor adds grimly.

"Not trying to hurt me again today, are you, Cullen?" Jake teases, his eyes shut and his good hand pointing in Edward's general direction.

"I'm done trying to hurt you, Jacob," Edward sighs, resigned. "I've caused you more pain than I intended, and I apologize."

"Is it because you won?" Jake demands as harshly as he can in his sedated condition.

"No, but it certainly makes this easier to say," he smirks.

"She loves me you know," Jacob adds smugly.

"I know," Edward breathes.

"Did it bother you to see your fiancé kissing me like that?" Jake grins stupidly in his drugged haze.

"You certainly made Seth nauseous," Edward replies, carefully dodging the question.

"Furry little hypocrite," Jake mumbles. I suddenly realize the entire pack plus Edward has seen Seth's memories of this morning. He was probably thinking of them before the battle began. Blood rushes into my face, but no one notices. They're too busy watching Jacob and Edward.

"You ready, Doc?" Jake asks Carlisle.

"Are you certain you can't feel your injuries?" Carlisle asks cautiously.

"Don't worry, Doc, my pain level for today has been exceeded. It can't possibly get any worse," my brother grins morbidly.

I close my eyes, but I still hear the sickening crack of a breaking bone. Or is it the snap of a breaking heart? My poor brother, always so brave and willing to protect those he loves, has finally been shot down once and for all. His heart is bleeding, his spirit crushed, and his love lost. Several tears leak out of my closed lids, and Seth pulls me into his bare chest, and wraps his warm arms around me.

My life is now set, and I will never be in danger of losing the one I love. But my poor brother, who is so much better than I am, will never have his. It always rains hardest on those who deserve the sun, and Jacob is in the middle of a deluge.

7


	6. For Further Reading

Thank you so much for reading! If you liked "Enchanted" you might also like its prequel, "My Werewolf's Keeper" or its sequels "Breaking Ties", and "Breaking Hearts"

Please check them out!


End file.
